BLADE Show Names 2013 Knives of the Year
OutdoorHub 06.03.13
The world’s top factory knives were honored with the BLADE Magazine 2013 Knife-Of-The-Year Awards during the BLADE Show + Living Ready Expo (www.bladeshow.com) May 31-June 2 in Atlanta.
Announced Saturday night at the BLADE Magazine Awards Banquet at the Cobb Galleria Centre, honors in 13 different categories included 10 knives and one knife accessory. Two awards also went to individuals for special achievement in the knife industry. The categories and winners:
- Overall Knife Of The Year: Zero Tolerance 0454
- American-Made Knife Of The Year: Hogue Elishewitz
- Imported Knife Of The Year: Fox Knives Modras
- Most Innovative American Design: Microtech D.O.C. Kill Switch
- Most Innovative Imported Design: CRKT Ken Onion Swindle
- Best Buy Of The Year: CRKT Endorser
- Kitchen Knife Of The Year: Ken Onion Chef Works
- Investor/Collector Knife Of The Year: Pro-Tech Newport
- Knife Collaboration Of The Year: Microtech Mick Strider
- Manufacturing Quality Award: Chris Reeve Knives
- Accessory Of The Year: CRKT Onion Survival Parasaw
- Industry Achievement Award: American Bladesmith Society (ABS) master smith Joe Keeslar for introducing the ABS and modern bladesmithing to France through annual workshops, as well as teaching bladesmithing in the USA via seminars and his books, for his award-winning knives, and for his leadership via several terms on the ABS Board Of Directors and as chairman of the ABS, and;
- Publisher’s Award: Joyce Laituri, marketing manager of Spyderco, for almost two decades of setting the standard for how to best promote and publicize a knife company’s knives—in this case, those of Spyderco. Her ability to work with the media in terms of providing Spyderco knives, knife imagery, knife information and other materials has been a model for all others in public relations to emulate. No one has done it better.
All entrants in the Knife-Of-The-Year competition were judged on a number of factors, including utility, design, creativity, materials, aesthetics, feel and other traits.
Also during the banquet, ABS master smith Wayne Goddard became the 50th inductee into the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall Of Fame. Celebrating 50 years of making knives, Goddard parlayed the knowledge he’s gained in his knifemaking business into a second career writing about the process, including almost a quarter century as a columnist (“Question & Answer,” “The $50 Knife Shop,” “Steels” and more) for BLADE Magazine, and as an author of several successful books on the subject.
The BLADE Show is the world’s largest, most important knife show, and has been held every year since 1981 and in Atlanta since 1992. Upwards of 1,000 exhibitors from more than 20 countries display their knives and knife-related items over a three-day cutlery celebration that also features knife seminars, knife auctions, custom knife awards, celebrity appearances and much more.
The Living Ready Expo is being held for the first time in conjunction with the BLADE Show this year, and includes any and all products and gear that have to do with survival, living off the land and related activities.
